Cuntz – Aloha

Melbourne’s “Most offensive record label” is pleased to present its second offering, the debut LP from Footscray misfits CUNTZ titled Aloha. Originally self-released by the band in May 2012, recorded by Alex Macfarlane, who was at the desk for the critically acclaimed Boomgates and Constant Mongrel LPs released in 2012. Homeless was just in initial planning stages when the label head honcho witnessed a particularly violent and bloody Cuntz show in the basement dungeon of the Grace Darling in April. The head honcho not only came away from the show with a name for his yet-to-be-decided record label, he also had planted the idea of releasing Aloha on vinyl later in the year. And so, once the CD had been mastered by Mikey Young it was into production, and the cult of Cuntz began.

“Cuntz are my mates. They write songs about their lives, other people’s lives and all the dumb shit that happens. When asked to describe their music to friends who haven’t seen them, the best summary I can give is “weirdo punk”. They swing between sharp, driving, straight up loud punk, and a slower, sleazier, occasionally hopeless post-punk type deal- and all of it is drizzled in a thick layer of goading irreverence, with a sprinkling of disdain, just because they can. I believe they are at their best when keys are involved; they make things ooze a little more, with a sort of grimy and franticly hypnotic Suicide sound. Which is fucking great. Lewis’s guitar playing is a dexterous evocation of emotion beneath Ben’s monotone non-screaming voice (though the screams at their most impassioned portray a huge mass of energy, fury and desperation). Topped off with Dom’s sludgy bass tones and first time drummer Mike’s serious-as-all-hell drum style, everything they do is essentially an in-joke (they even have a great cover of “Insect Woman” from Tim and Eric under their belts), and the informed listener can choose to either get it or be put off by the irreverence. Cuntz are dedicated to the hoon, and dedicated to supporting each other in their own respective hoons, and they don’t give a fuck about what anyone thinks about that.”

Reviews of Aloha

“Classically stupid LP by a Melbourne punk quartet who sound at times like a slower version of the Angry Samoans with more of a noise-art edge than a Metal Mike’s pop bias would ever allow. A few of the tracks lope along crookedly like some sorta Fall-damaged cur, but most of it is more akin to The Controllers “Slow Boy” played by Melbourne drunks than “Rowche Rumble” or anything. How piquant!”
– Byron Coley and Thurston MooreArthur Magazine